Car-replacer.



No. 896,457. PATBNTED AUG. 18, 1908.

F. A. MILLIS.

CAR REPLAGER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1908.

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iti/7M? mm FRANK A. MILLIS, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

CAR-REPLACER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1908.

Application filed March 10, 1908. Serial N o. 420,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. MILLIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oar-Replacers, of which the following is a specification.

The prime object of this invention is to provide a construction which may be utilized to replace a car upon rails of any height from either side without the necessity of providing twp separate devices, one for each side of the rai tion of a minimum weight so that it may be conveniently carried on a car.

In pursuance of the above objects I employ a platform adapted for placement upon a rail and which is provided with guide ways or grooves in its upper surface to guide the wheels onto the rails. One of the platforms is provided with guide ways which cross the rails to carry one of the wheels over to the inside, while the other is provided with guideways which merely lead up to the rail without crossing it. These platforms are of short extent along the rail, being merely for the purpose of guiding the Wheels to the rails after they have been raised to the proper height. To raise the wheels to the platforms I employ a removable plate which may be placed upon either side of the platform, so that the car may be guided up to the platform from either side of the rails with only the necessity of carrying one set of plates.

I accomplish the above by means of the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the track with my improved car replacer thereon. Fig. 2. is a longitudinal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a cross section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5. is a cross section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings 1() and 11 represent the respective rails of a car track laid on sleepers 12. The replacer is shown in a position to replace a car upon the rails which has left the same on the lower side in Fig. 1, the position for replacing the car from the other side being analogous, as will be hereinafter explained.

My improved replacer consists of two platforms 13 and 14 provided with ribs 15 on A further object is to provide a construetheir under surfaces, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, to engage with the rails and prevent the lateral displacement of the platforms. Both platforms are made in wedge shaped plan and extend laterally on each side of the rails to catch the derailed car wheels and guide them onto the rails. Platform 14 is provided with a central longitudinal rib or ridge 16 directly over rail 11 and with two converging lateral ribs 17, one on each side of ridge 16. At its wide end the platform is provided with an aperture 18 on each side of the central ridge for the insertion of a tongue 19 on raising plate 20. Raising plate 2() is made of wedge shaped plan and is formed with lateral ribs 21 to prevent the displacement of a car wheel therefrom, these ribs 21 forming more or less of a continuation of the central ridge 16 and lateral rib 17 as illustrated.

Platform 13 is provided with a central longitudinal rib or ridge 22 extending but a short distance along the platform, as shown in Fig. 1. Lateral ribs 23 converge sharply inwardly for a portion of their length and then diverge as at 24. This platform is also provided with apertures 18 with which raising plate 2O engages, as in the construction of platform 14.

In using my improved car replacer platform 13 is placed upon the rail towards the car and platform 14 upon the rail away from the car, each platform being supported by blocks 25 at each side of the rails. The raising plates 20 are then placed in connection with platforms 13 and 14 on the outside and inside, respectively, of the rails, and the car is run up to the plates. Upon reaching the raising plates, which are normally in some such position as shown in Fig. 3, the wheels are forced forwardly and upwardly and onto the platforms. The flange of the wheel which runs onto platform 13 runs across the rail and drops down inside on reaching the end of the platform. The flange of the wheel passing up onto platform 14 is forced over toward the rail by inner rib 17 and the tread of the wheel runs over ridge 16. Upon reaching the end of the platform the tread of the wheel drops down onto ridge 16 and then onto rail 11.

By means of the above construction it will be noted that I am enabled to replace a car upon the rails from either side thereof, the platforms being placed upon the appropriate rails as above explained. The raising plates being applicable to either side of either platform, it is only necessary to carry one set of the same, whereas, if they are rigidly affixed to the platforms it would be necessary to have two plates for each platform. Moreover, by having the raising plates adj ustably and removably secured to the platforms I am also enabled to provide for di'fl'ierent heights of rails, the outer end of the plate resting freely upon the ground at the side of the rail.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A car replacer set, comprising two platfor1ns adapted for placement on the rails, one platform provided with wheel flange grooves crossing the rails from both sides thereof, the other platform provided with Wheel flange grooves leading in to the rail from both sides thereof, and a pair of raising plates adapted at one end for adjustable attachment to said platform on either side of the rail, the other end of said plates being free.

2. In a car replacer set, a pair of platforms adapted for placement on the rails, one of said platforms provided with wheel flange grooves crossing the rail from both sides thereof, the other provided with wheel flange grooves leading in to the rail from both sides thereof. 3. In a car replacer' set, a pair of platforms adapted for placement on the rails, one of said platforms provided with a flange groove on each side ofthe rail and converging toward the rail.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 28th day of February, 1908.

FRANK A. MILLIS.

Witnesses:

EDMUND A. STRAUSE, OLLIE PALMER. 

